Takeout creations from Sid Sahrawat's Cassia. Photo / Supplied
Takeout creations from Sid Sahrawat's Cassia. Photo / Supplied
Being in lockdown has brought on unprecedented times for our local dining scene. And while you may have used the time wisely to brush up on your banana bread skills, if you're anything like us you'll also be thrilled by the idea of being able to sit down to a restaurant meal again - even it that still means in the confines of your own home.
As New Zealand prepares to move to level 3, Auckland restaurateur's are coming up with clever ways to get their delicious dishes out to customers, from make-at-home meal kits to menu favourites now available for delivery.
Here are some of the best options to sink your teeth into:
The Grove:
The Grove will be delivering comforting & nourishing meals designed to showcase Britain's finest classics. You can choose between fresh or frozen options. There's hot gourmet sandwiches, set menus with simple warming instructions, and frozen meals. Local delivery is $10 or you can opt for contactless pick up from the restaurant in Saint Patrick's Square. Pre-orders being taken now by emailing info@thegroverestaurant.co.nz with online ordering starting next week on The Grove website.
Hot Chocolate Tart, Lewis Road Creamery burnt butter ice cream The Notorious S.T.P, toffee sauce, Lewis Road Creamery three vanilla ice cream Vanilla Rice Pudding, Caramelized apple, almonds, Lewis Road Creamery three vanilla ice cream
Choose 1 entree, 1 main, 1 dessert. $100 for two people.
Savor Group
Enjoy your favourite dishes from Ostro, Market Gallery and Lobster & Tap and order from one handy location savorgoods.co.nz
Feeling fancy? Ostro will delivery you one of their signature seafood platters from $90 or pick up a lobster roll kit from Lobster & Tap starting at $35.
Market Gallery's Family Box feeds the whole family a selection of beer-battered fish and prawns, salt & pepper squid, chips, tartare sauce and lemon for $65.
Baduzzi will be rolling up their famous meatballs for you to eat at home. You can opt for contactless pick up where a 5 minute loading zone has been set up on Jellicoe Street, or for $10 their very own wait and bar staff will drop it to you.
Full menu including Lamb meatballs $16.50, Polpette vegetariane $16.50 Cannelloni $26.00, Duck Pasta $35.00, Eggplant Parmigiana $19.00 and for sweet tooths Tiramisu $17.00.
Craving sushi? Then happy days. Ponsonby Road's Azabu will be delivering or allowing contactless pick up.
Go for the Spicy Tuna Sushi Roll (8pcs) $18.00, or the Assorted Sashimi Platter (10pcs) $28.00 or, treat yourself to both with the Sashimi & Sushi Platter for $59.00.
It's always a good time for authentic Italian pizza and Parnell's Non Solo Pizza has been an Auckland favourite since 1996. We particularly enjoy the Margherita Prosciutto Cotto E Funghi (Tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushroom & basil) for $24. There's also the range of delicious starters like a sharing plate of Calamari ($18.50) and even meal kits like Gnocchi with tomato & basil sugo or Pappardelle with braised lamb shoulder, green olive & lemon ragu for $28.00
Pre order now for delivery or pick up from 5pm Tuesday 28, April.
Chef Kyle Street and the team at central Auckland hot spot Culprit have created a special At Home menu, so you can turn your own home into a restaurant. Taking pre-orders now for Wednesday, April 29 onward, treat yourself to a three course meal kit for two, ready to go heat and eat meals, plus desserts.
Deluxe meal kits: A starter of fig leaf-infused panna cotta with walnut & vincotto, a main of pork stuffed roast duck breast served with confit duck leg salad, and a baked pavlova, boysenberry and lemon curd dessert. $90 for two.
Heat and eat: Choose from kimchi braised beef brisket, pork cheek flour tortillas or roast cauliflower and falafel. $55 for two.
Something sweet: Indulge in baked pavlova or peanut slab mousse at just $12 for two. Weekend specials: Try their clam and roast fish bouillabaisse on Fridays, or braised lamb neck roast dinner on Saturdays.
Delivery options: Pick up or free contactless delivery available within a 3km radius of Culprit on Auckland's Wyndham St.
Pasta & Cuore
Pasta & Cuore specializes in handmade fresh pasta using quality ingredients and traditional methods. Photo / Supplied
The closest thing you'll get to Italy for a while, Mt Eden's dreamy Italian restaurant Pasta & Cuore is also adapting to level 3 restrictions by offering handmade, fresh pasta to cook at home - plus a range of authentic ingredients and dishes available for takeaway.
Takeaway: Choose from dishes like tagliatelle with classic Bolognese ragout and spaghetti alla chitarra topped with creamy gorgonzola lombardo and wild walnuts, both $28.
Make your own: Order pappardelle, tagliatelle and spaghetti for $6 per 100g, potato gnocchi for $7, tortelloni and ravioli for $10 and tortellini for $11. Pair with one of their favourite sauces including creamy parmigiano for $5, or a hearty lamb ragout for $7.
Cheeses and chacuturie: A range of selected Italian cured meats and cheeses, including prosciutto di parma and parmigiano reggiano are also available.
Heat and eat: Choose from lasagne with classic Bolognese ragout or lasagne with mushroom and truffle, $25 and Roman style Semolina Gnocchi or Polenta with homemade pork sausage ragout (GF), $20.
Something sweet: Top off that pasta with a tiramisù or panna cotta with chocolate and toasted almonds.
Delivery options: Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm - 8pm. Pickups available between 11am and 7:30pm Tuesday to Sunday.
Paris Butter
Paris Butter is offering some of their personal favourite dishes, french classics and gourmet comfort food for heat and eat. Photo / Supplied
Nick Honeyman's Herne Bay restaurant, which picked up a rare perfect score when it was reviewed for Viva by Jesse Mulligan last November, has a delicious "PB to go" menu ready for customers.
Heat and eat: Featuring the team's personal favourite dishes, French classics and gourmet comfort food, Honeyman and his crew will have a different menu for each day of the week, consisting of sourdough, a main and dessert for $39.
Delivery: Contactless delivery will be available to certain areas from 4-6 daily. Find out more here.
During level 3, Ed Verner's award-winning Pasture will be operating as Pasture Pantry, a contactless takeout service offering three unique produce and pantry boxes geared towards a variety of cooking abilities - plus, to give you that unique restaurant ambience, access to Pasture's playlist.
Meal kits: In what is likely the most gourmet food box in the country, you'll get Pasture's 120-aged New Zealand wagyu beef, live Chatham Islands lobster from the tank, Pasture sourdough, one-year aged butter, and a voucher to access to Pasture's music playlist.
Offerings range from an la carte selection of sourdough bread at $15 to a "Hell's Bells" box at $420, which will include a small gift from Verner's secret new project, "Boxer".
Orders and pick up: Order through Tock and items can be arranged for pick up every Wednesday (with a Sunday 9pm order cut off) and Friday (with a Wednesday 9pm order cut off) between 5 and 7pm.
This collection of Nourish Group restaurants is launching My Nourish Kitchen food boxes, allowing Aucklanders to recreate some of their favourite dining out dishes at home.
Meal kits: You'll find all the ingredients and easy to follow instructions to make the likes of Andiamo's chicken parmigiana with mozzarella and Neapolitan tomato sauce, and Euro's smoked Taupo lamb shoulder with wild wheat tabbouleh, labneh and pomegranate. And that's just for week one. A two-person box for four nights will set you back $175. Or if you've got a bigger bubble you can go for a four-person box for $340.
Orders and delivery: Place your order by 10am Friday and you'll have your food box delivered on Saturday. Available for Auckland delivery only, find out more here.
Award-winning Auckland restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat have created "AtHome" dishes that speak to the cuisines of their three restaurants: Cassia (contemporary Indian), Sidart (elevated or progressive Indian) and Sid at The French Café (French Inspired New Zealand Cuisine).
Sidart At Home: Choose from six delectable dishes including lamb meatballs with almond korma and market fish with kerala sauce for $45 per person plus two family-sized options.
Cassia At Home From beef short rib to lamb seekh kebab curry, Cassia is offering an a la carte menu with snacks, entrees, mains and desserts. Main dishes come with rice and naan bread and are priced at $29.
Sid at The French Cafe At Home: In the mood for something French? Look no further than the chef's interpretation of five classic dishes including beef bourguignon with truffle fries or Duck à l 'Orange. Dishes come with salad, house-made sourdough and dessert for $45 per person. Two family options are also available.
Orders and deliveries: Contactless pick up and contactless delivery is now available, offering lunch Wednesday – Friday and dinner Tuesday – Saturday.
Amano
Amano Bakery will reopen next week. Photo / Supplied
While Amano's restaurant is closed, their CBD bakery will be open under level 3.
From Wednesday 29th April from 7am to 4pm you can order food on their Amano Bakery app and collect it via a pickup window.
They'll have cakes, pastries, ready to go meals, and takeaway coffees – along with basic pantry items like fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs and Amano pastas and sauces to prepare at home.
Heat and eat meals Alongside Amano bakery menu favourites, they've got dinner all sorted with heat and eat family style meals, like Shorthorn beef and pork lasagne.
